Reflections on a Decade of 3daysofdesign
As we look ahead to the 10th anniversary festival in June, we look back at the last decade - hearing from some of the companies that have been with 3daysofdesign from the very beginning. What do they remember from the early years of the festival? Why did they choose to stay with 3daysofdesign? What are they looking forward to in 2023?
Knud-Erik Hansen owner of Carl Hansen & Søn
What do you remember from 3daysofdesign ten years ago?
I remember it as a breath of fresh air and a positive change from being caged inside a fair, where we worked away from windows and outside light. People were different and more relaxed, with a very positive attitude towards our news and the more established products. There were only our products for the visitors to look at, and I think that gave them a calmness and more immersion in the quality and, at the same time, the design of the individual products that were exhibited in our store in Bredgade.
Why did you choose to participate at that time?
Individual exhibitions in our showrooms/shops was something new. So, you can call it an experiment, which fortunately turned out to be extremely satisfying.
You have continued to exhibit for ten years. Why?
I think we only joined when the permanent exhibition at the Bella Center closed. We, therefore, did not have any alternative facilities that could replace our permanent exhibition in the Bella Centre. However, we have been involved since then with great enthusiasm.
What is the best thing about 3daysofdesign?
Deciding is difficult because there are so many good things to report. The best thing could be that our visitors have decided to visit us in our Flagship Store in Bredgade. We therefore have a much closer dialogue with the visitors. At the fairs, more people come through but not all of them are relevant to us, and then the dialogue becomes completely different, which is less personal and individual.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to good weather, good mood, reasonable interest, good desire to buy, lots of guests from all over the world, and the many personal experiences both when we are open in our Flagship Store and at the subsequent dinners with some of our best customers.
Founder of FRAMA, Niels Strøyer Christophersen
What do you remember from 3daysofdesign 10 years ago?
I remember it as 'small but good'. I ultimately agreed with the direction and vision, which was a good argument for collaborating. We took 3daysofdesign seriously from the beginning and tried to think 360° even then. It's about staging oneself during those days, but for Frama, there is also a naturalness about it, because it is 100 per cent in extension of our brand, but still with an element of surprise or two. I remember that one year we made an installation with antique and unique products, where our own products were very much in the background - almost not on display. People were very surprised by that approach, but the response was fantastic at the same time, and it continues to be how we work, among other things. We see many international faces who were also there from the start, which must be because they find it exciting and therefore come back year after year.
Why did you choose to participate at that time?
We had just moved into our new showroom, St. Pauls Apotek at Fredericiagade 57, and it made sense in many ways to collaborate with a platform that focused on site locations instead of the trade fair concept as seen in, e.g., Bella Center, Stockholm Messen etc. In principle, 3daysofdesign and Frama were both somewhat grassroots movements, and both parties wanted to challenge the status quo. 3daysofdesign wished to challenge the conventional way of running a "fair", which was more about general communication and cross-functional collaboration. Frama wanted to rethink the idea of a Danish furniture brand to also accommodate a more lifestyle-oriented identity. Where the product is, in principle, secondary, and the metaphysical becomes the product, and where the consequences follow. The industry generally still works in reverse order, but for us, the other way works better.
You have continued to exhibit for ten years. Why?
We generally support the concept and idea of promoting locations in the city, both permanent and temporary installations. However, 3daysofdesign has also become the time of year when we rethink the expression in our showroom, and therefore we use 3daysofdesign to challenge ourselves.
What is the best thing about 3daysofdesign?
Copenhagen as a city lends itself well to the 3daysofdesign concept, and it has also been one of the fundamental success criteria for the business model. You know the concept from Clerkenwell Design Week in London, where 3daysofdesign involves the whole of Copenhagen. The infrastructure and scale of the city are more ideal than many other capitals, which often come out of proportion. 3daysofdesign is very informal and democratic and represents Danish values in a good way. 3daysofdesign must continue to remain inclusive, also for smaller independent companies.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
This year our focal point will be a "GREEN MARKET" where we have dubbed our 3daysofdesign concept "IL MERCATO". Frama has for several years dealt with food as a gathering point and an essential element of our identity. Many years ago, when we had premises in Frihavnen, we had a launch where chef Frederik Bille Brahe was involved. Since then, we have had many long-table dinners with chef Mikkel Karstad in Fredericiagade 57. We have also had an open 'eatery' with chef Chiara Barla under the name Apotek 57. As an evolution to these events and initiatives, this year we are collaborating with the people behind "GREEN MARKET", which focuses on local organic raw materials from Denmark. The message is in principle much more than just local vegetables, but it is a good starting and gathering point for dialogue on significant issues that we all face in connection with the green transition. I am therefore very much looking forward to the visitors' response and the topics of conversation that will arise during the days in continuation of our concept.
What does this year's theme, "Where Would We Be Without You?" mean to Frama?
It would almost be funnier to use this phrase: "Don't leave us alone with the Danes!" No, I think this year's theme is about togetherness and that everything is connected. We are part of an ecosystem of consumers, producers, press, professionals, etc. that together create an dependence, and it is a tribute to this ecosystem, which in my eyes, the theme is based on.
Director for Montana, Joakim Lassen
What do you remember from 3daysofdesign 10 years ago?
I remember the super cool identity, which GamFratesi created, and that during and after the event we had the feeling that it had the character of something that could grow big and gain importance.
Why did you choose to participate at that time?
We wanted to help celebrate design and, together with Kvadrat, Anker & Co and Erik Jørgensen, were the festival's founders to recreate an exhibition platform that did not exist at the time and which Danish design deserves.
You have continued to exhibit for ten years. Why?
We find that 3daysofdesign is gaining more and more importance year by year and has become our most important annual event for the launch of new products.
What is the best thing about 3daysofdesign?
There is a unique atmosphere in the city during 3daysofdesign. We get a unique opportunity to open the doors and invite many customers, architects and press from home and abroad inside and show them Montana and our news.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I look forward to welcoming national and international guests. This year our theme is 'Colours of Comfort', gentle and uplifting colours that can affect our mood, emotions, and general well-being. We are launching three new colours developed in collaboration with Margrethe Odgaard, as well as display cabinets in several sizes and an accessories category with smaller products for the home.
What does this year's theme, "Where Would We Be Without You?", mean to Montana?
When I hear the theme "Where Would We Be Without You?", I think all Montana modules are designed and made in Denmark. Every day at our factory in Haarby on Funen, more than 140 skilled craftspeople work hard to maintain the highest standards of production, painting, and assembly and to create products that can last a lifetime and be passed down through generations. We at Montana are proud of that, and when we celebrated our 40th-anniversary last year, we gave our factory a complete and colourful makeover to put our Danish production on the map.
At 3daysofdesign, our commitment extends beyond showcasing the latest trends in interior design and furniture. We strive to facilitate meaningful discussions, debate, and actively contribute to pushing forward a more sustainable approach within the realm of interior design and furniture business. Join us in our mission to inspire positive change and promote a greener, more responsible future for the industry.
